Former Philadelphia 76ers Forward Lavoy Allen Will Benefit From Relocating

By Alan Gung

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Lavoy Allen has played most of his basketball career in the Philadelphia area. He was a star at Pennsbury High School in the Philadelphia suburbs, became one of the best centers in Temple University history and was drafted by his hometown’s NBA team. He’ll now be playing 670 miles away in Indianapolis.

Allen was traded with fellow former Philadelphia 76ers swingman Evan Turner to the Indiana Pacers for star forward Danny Granger and a future second-round draft pick. Allen became one of the longest-tenured players on the Sixers this season.

The move benefits Allen and the Pacers. He will be playing his natural power forward position with the Pacers. Allen will get a chance to compete against Luis Scola as the backup for starting power forward David West. The 6-foot-9, 255-pound Allen spent majority of the season coming off the bench for the Sixers. He averaged 5.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game this season.

Allen has been inconsistent all season, but became the Sixers’ best inside player off the bench on what would be deemed a below-average team. He was primarily the backup to starting center Spencer Hawes. The move was somewhat of a surprise with his recent play. Allen’s numbers have gone up since the end of January. He averaged 6.4 points and posted two double-doubles during that span.

His name has been thrown around trade circles since the start of the season. He’s been dealing with health issues all year as he was out for a good portion of this season. Allen was originally drafted as a project player. He has shown flashes of potential during his rookie year, but dealt with too many inconsistencies to be a big factor for the Sixers.

In the playoff series against the Atlantic Division rival Boston Celtics, Allen had a memorable role as a thorn in Kevin Garnett’s side. The Sixers eventually lost the series, but Allen earned a reputation as a physical defensive presence. The Pacers are looking to win the franchise’s first league title, and Allen could be the defensive presence who can get them there.